Legislative branch:unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote toserve two-year terms)elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November2004)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to theUS House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002(next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M.CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected
Judicial branch:US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuitjurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governorfor 10-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens'Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of the US)
Flag description:white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between thelarge blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagleholding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the otherwith a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below ablue panel
Economy Virgin Islands
Economy - overview:Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDPand employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year.The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles,electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agriculturalsector is small, with most food being imported. Internationalbusiness and financial services are a small but growing component ofthe economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is atSaint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage fromstorms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, tosupport construction projects in the private sector, to expandtourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$2.5 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.)
Labor force:48,900 (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:9.3% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.2% (2003)
Budget: revenues: $560 expenditures: NA (2003)
Agriculture - products:fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
Industries:tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling,construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:1.035 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:962.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:NA
Exports - commodities:refined petroleum products
Exports - partners:US, Puerto Rico
Imports:NA
Imports - commodities:crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
Imports - partners:US, Puerto Rico
Debt - external:NA
Economic aid - recipient:NA
Currency (code):US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Virgin Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:69,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:41,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern system with total digital switching,uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relaydomestic: full range of services availableinternational: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections(Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA
Radio broadcast stations:AM 6, FM 17, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:107,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:16 (2004)
Televisions:68,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.vi
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):50 (2000)
Internet users:30,000 (2002)
Transportation Virgin Islands
Highways:total: 1,257 kmpaved: 1,192 kmunpaved: 65 kmnote: the only US possession where driving on the left side of theroad is practiced (2003)
Ports and harbors:Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay
Airports:2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Virgin Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Virgin Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Wake Island
Introduction Wake Island
Background:The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. Animportant air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the endof World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as astopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircrafttransiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has beenused by the US military and some commercial cargo planes, as well asfor emergency landings. There are over 700 landings a year on theisland.
Geography Wake Island
Location:Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of theway from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
Geographic coordinates:19 17 N, 166 36 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 6.5 sq kmland: 6.5 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:19.3 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical
Terrain:atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano;central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location 6 m
Natural resources:none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landinglocation for transpacific flights
People Wake Island
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: US military personnel have left the island, but contractorpersonnel remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel werepresent (July 2005 est.)
Government Wake Island
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island
Dependency status:unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the island areconducted by the US Air Force
Legal system:the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of the US is used
Economy Wake Island
Economy - overview:Economic activity is limited to providing services to contractorslocated on the island. All food and manufactured goods must beimported.
Electricity - production:NA
Communications Wake Island
Telephone system:general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off theOverseas Telephone System (OTS)domestic: NAinternational: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (1998)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Transportation Wake Island
Ports and harbors:none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Airports:1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Transportation - note:formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by USmilitary, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings
Military Wake Island
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of the US; launch support facility ispart of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS)administered by US Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC)
Transnational Issues Wake Island
Disputes - international: claimed by Marshall Islands
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Wallis and Futuna
Introduction Wallis and Futuna
Background:Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate overthe islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands votedto become a French overseas territory.
Geography Wallis and Futuna
Location:Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds ofthe way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:13 18 S, 176 12 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 274 sq kmland: 274 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island),Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
Area - comparative:1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:129 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season(May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity);average temperature 26.6 degrees C
Terrain:volcanic origin; low hills
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mont Singavi 765 m
Natural resources:NEGL
Land use:arable land: 5%permanent crops: 25%other: 70% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain)largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuelsource; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, themountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack ofnatural fresh water resources
Geography - note:both island groups have fringing reefs
People Wallis and Futuna
Population: 16,025 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:NA%
Birth rate:NA births/1,000 population
Death rate:NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate:NA migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to NewCaledonia (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: NAmale: NAfemale: NA
Life expectancy at birth:total population: NA yearsmale: NA yearsfemale: NA years
Total fertility rate:NA children born/woman
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islandersadjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander
Ethnic groups:Polynesian
Religions:Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Languages:Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%,French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 50%male: 50%female: 50% (1969 est.)
Government Wallis and Futuna
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islandsconventional short form: Wallis and Futunalocal long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futunalocal short form: Wallis et Futuna
Dependency status:overseas territory of France
Government type:NA
Capital:Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-orderadministrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but thereare three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis
Independence:none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday:Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:French legal system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May1995), represented by High Administrator Xavier DE FURST (since 18January 2005)head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly PatalioneKANIMOA (since NA January 2001)cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and threemembers appointed by the high administrator on the advice of theTerritorial Assemblynote: there are three traditional kings with limited powerselections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-yearterm; high administrator appointed by the French president on theadvice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of theTerritorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected bythe members of the assembly
Legislative branch:unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate andone deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (nowUMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002(next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party -NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1
Judicial branch:none; justice generally administered under French law by the highadministrator, but the three traditional kings administer customarylaw and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu
Political parties and leaders:Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement des Radicaux deGauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [ClovisLOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union PopulaireLocale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise orUDF [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:FZ, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a little off centertoward the fly and slightly downward - on a red background; the flagof France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoistquadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions
Economy Wallis and Futuna
Economy - overview:The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, withabout 80% labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts andvegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of thepopulation is employed in government. Revenues come from FrenchGovernment subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and SouthKorea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in NewCaledonia.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$60 million (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: NA%industry: NA%services: NA%
Labor force:NA
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):NA%
Budget:revenues: $20 millionexpenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of NA(1998 est.)
Agriculture - products:breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats
Industries:copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0%
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Exports:$250,000 f.o.b. (1999)
Exports - commodities:copra, chemicals, construction materials
Exports - partners:Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%
Imports:$300,000 f.o.b. (1999)
Imports - commodities:chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods
Imports - partners:France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:assistance from France
Currency (code):Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code:XPF
Exchange rates:Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04(2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Wallis and Futuna
Telephones - main lines in use:1,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (1994)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 681
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:2 (2000)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.wf
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:900 (2002)
Transportation Wallis and Futuna
Highways:total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea)unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
Ports and harbors:Leava, Mata-Utu
Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,754 GRT/1,187 DWT by type: passenger 4 foreign-owned: 4 (France 3, United States 1) (2005)
Airports: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Wallis and Futuna
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Wallis and Futuna
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@West Bank
Introduction West Bank
Background:The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-GovernmentArrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993,provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years ofPalestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the WestBank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers andresponsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes thePalestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part ofthe interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and GazaStrip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Stripand Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 CairoAgreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additionalareas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 ProtocolConcerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-SheikhAgreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibilityduring the transitional period for external and internal securityand for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Directnegotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bankthat began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, werederailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. Theresulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,Israel's military response, and instability within the PalestinianAuthority continue to undermine progress toward a permanentagreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader YasirARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBASin January 2005 could bring a turning point in the conflict.
Geography West Bank
Location:Middle East, west of Jordan
Geographic coordinates:32 00 N, 35 15 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 5,860 sq kmland: 5,640 sq kmwater: 220 sq kmnote: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarterof the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem andJerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means ofdepicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 404 km border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warmto hot summers, cool to mild winters
Terrain:mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barrenin east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Dead Sea -408 mhighest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
Natural resources:arable land
Land use:arable land: 16.9%permanent crops: 18.97%other: 64.13% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:droughts
Environment - current issues:adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment
Geography - note:landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastalaquifers; there are 244 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalemsettlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts (August2003 est.)
People West Bank
Population:2,385,615note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in theWest Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 43.4% (male 530,197/female 504,794)15-64 years: 53.2% (male 649,610/female 619,335)65 years and over: 3.4% (male 34,803/female 46,876) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 18.14 yearsmale: 17.99 yearsfemale: 18.3 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:3.13% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:32.37 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:3.99 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:2.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 19.62 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 21.66 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 17.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 73.08 yearsmale: 71.33 yearsfemale: 74.95 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: NAadjective: NA
Ethnic groups:Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%
Religions:Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%
Languages:Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),English (widely understood)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 91.9%male: 96.3%female: 87.4% (2003 est.)
Government West Bank
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank
Economy West Bank
Economy - overview:The West Bank - the larger of the two areas under the PalestineAuthority - has experienced a general decline in economic growth anda degradation in economic conditions made worse since the secondintifadah began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely theresult of the Israeli closure policies - the imposition of borderclosures in response to security incidents in Israel - whichdisrupted labor and commodity market relationships. In 2001, andeven more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in PalestineAuthority areas resulted in the destruction of much capital plant,the disruption of administrative structure, and widespread businessclosures. Including the Gaza Strip, the UN estimates that more than100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israelisettlements, or in joint industrial zones, have lost their jobs.International aid of $2 billion to the West Bank and Gaza strip in2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed somereforms in the government's financial operations. Meanwhile,unemployment has continued at more than half the labor force.ARAFAT's death in 2004 leaves open more political options that couldaffect the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.8 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (2002 est.)
Labor force:364,000 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:27.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:59% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)
Budget:revenues: $676.6 millionexpenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA;note - these budget data include Gaza Strip (2003)
Agriculture - products:olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Industries:generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles,soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; theIsraelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in thesettlements and industrial centers
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; EastJerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity toPalestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank;the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to mostJewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinianmunicipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their ownelectricity from small power plants
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Electricity - imports:NA kWh
Exports:$205 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip (2002)
Exports - commodities:olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone
Exports - partners:Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)
Imports:$1.5 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip (2002)
Imports - commodities:food, consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners:Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)
Debt - external:$108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$2 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2004 est.)
Currency (code):new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Currency code:ILS; JOD
Exchange rates:new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003),4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year (since 1 January 1992)
Communications West Bank
Telephones - main lines in use: 301,600 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 480,000 (cellular subscribers in both West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: NAnote: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL areresponsible for communication services in the West Bank
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AMstation in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations arereported to be in operation (2000)
Radios:NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)
Television broadcast stations:NA
Televisions:NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions (1999)
Internet country code:.ps
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):8 (1999)
Internet users:145,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2003)
Transportation West Bank
Highways:total: 4,500 kmpaved: 2,700 kmunpaved: 1,800 kmnote: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewishsettlements (1997 est.)
Airports:3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military West Bank
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues West Bank
Disputes - international:West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current statussubject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanentstatus to be determined through further negotiation; Israelcontinues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier alongparts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel announcedits intention to pull out settlers and withdraw from foursettlements in the northern West Bank in 2005; since 1948, about 350peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO),headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armisticeagreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assistother UN personnel in the region
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 665,246 (Palestinian Refugees(UNRWA)) (2004)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Western Sahara
Introduction Western Sahara
Background:Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara(formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with thePolisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final statushas been repeatedly postponed.
Geography Western Sahara
Location:Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenMauritania and Morocco
Geographic coordinates:24 30 N, 13 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 266,000 sq kmland: 266,000 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Coastline:1,110 km
Maritime claims:contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Climate:hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents producefog and heavy dew
Terrain:mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfacesrising to small mountains in south and northeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 mhighest point: unnamed location 463 m
Natural resources:phosphates, iron ore
Land use:arable land: 0.02%permanent crops: 0%other: 99.98% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter andspring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severelyrestricting visibility
Environment - current issues:sparse water and lack of arable land
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas
People Western Sahara
Population: 273,008 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:NA
Birth rate:NA births/1,000 population
Death rate:NA deaths/1,000 population
Sex ratio:NA
Infant mortality rate:total: NAmale: NAfemale: NA
Life expectancy at birth:total population: NA yearsmale: NA yearsfemale: NA years
Total fertility rate:NA children born/woman
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2004)
Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Ethnic groups:Arab, Berber
Religions:Muslim
Languages:Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Western Sahara
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Western Saharaformer: Spanish Sahara
Government type:legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved;territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Frontfor the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which inFebruary 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of theSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), led by President MohamedABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania inApril 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania,under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims toits portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sectorshortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control;the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until aUN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991
Capital:none
Administrative divisions:none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Suffrage:none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed
Executive branch:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:none
Diplomatic representation in the US:none
Diplomatic representation from the US:none
Economy Western Sahara
Economy - overview:Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphatemining as the principal sources of income for the population. Theterritory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agriculturalproduction, and most of the food for the urban population must beimported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled bythe Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signedcontracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, whichhas angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living inWestern Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.
GDP (purchasing power parity):NA
GDP - real growth rate:NA
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - NA
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: 40% (1996 est.)
Labor force:12,000
Labor force - by occupation:animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Unemployment rate:NA
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):NA
Budget:revenues: NAexpenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Agriculture - products:fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep,goats (kept by nomads)
Industries:phosphate mining, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:90 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:83.7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:NA
Exports - commodities:phosphates 62%
Exports - partners:Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partnersare included in overall Moroccan accounts
Imports:NA
Imports - commodities:fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partnersare included in overall Moroccan accounts
Debt - external:NA
Economic aid - recipient:NA
Currency (code):Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Currency code:MAD
Exchange rates:Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003),11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Western Sahara
Telephones - main lines in use:about 2,000 (1999 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: sparse and limited systemdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system bymicrowave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite;satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked toRabat, Morocco
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:56,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:NA
Televisions:6,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.eh
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Western Sahara
Highways: total: 6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)
Ports and harbors:Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)
Airports:11 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 81,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Transnational Issues Western Sahara
Disputes - international:Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereigntyremains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained ineffect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for theReferendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold areferendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected allbrokered proposals
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@World
Introduction World
Background:Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating worldwars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vastcolonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, fromthe first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to thelanding on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western allianceand the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards inNorth America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about theenvironment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy andwater, the decline in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h)the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence ofthe US as the only world superpower. The planet's populationcontinues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930,3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponentialgrowth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advancesin medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethalweapons of war).
Geography World
Map references:Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World, StandardTime Zones of the World
Area:total: 510.072 million sq kmland: 148.94 million sq kmwater: 361.132 million sq kmnote: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land
Area - comparative:land area about 16 times the size of the US
Land boundaries:the land boundaries in the world total 250,472 km (not countingshared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia, each border14 other countriesnote: 43 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay,Rwanda, San Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan,Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; twoof these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked
Coastline:356,000 kmnote: 98 nations and other entities are islands that border no othercountries, they include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua andBarbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain,Baker Island, Barbados, Bassas da India, Bermuda, Bouvet Island,British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde,Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling)Islands, Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Cyprus,Dominica, Europa Island, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), FaroeIslands, Fiji, French Polynesia, French Southern and AntarcticLands, Glorioso Islands, Greenland, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, HeardIsland and McDonald Islands, Howland Island, Iceland, Jamaica, JanMayen, Japan, Jarvis Island, Jersey, Johnston Atoll, Juan de NovaIsland, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Isle ofMan, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, FederatedStates of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru, NavassaIsland, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, NorthernMariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands, Philippines,Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Kittsand Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent andthe Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore,Solomon Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka, Svalbard, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad andTobago, Tromelin Island, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna, Taiwan
Maritime claims:a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries makethe following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline asdescribed in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:territorial sea - 12 nm , contiguous zone - 24 nm , and exclusiveeconomic zone - 200 nm ; additional zones provide for exploitationof continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone;boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countriesfrom extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm
Climate:two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrowtemperate zones form a wide equatorial band of tropical tosubtropical climates
Terrain:the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in thePacific Ocean
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 mnote: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench isthe lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the PacificOceanhighest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
Natural resources:the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, thedepletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal andplant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality(especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) poseserious long-term problems that governments and peoples are onlybeginning to address
Land use: arable land: 10.73% permanent crops: 1% other: 88.27% (2001)
Irrigated land:2,714,320 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), naturaldisasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)
Environment - current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion